E=mc2

Hello! I usually don't play color challenges. They are the most difficult for me to pull off. But the Color Challenge at SCS was to use red, blue and yellow with the dessert being back to school theme. Well, you know I had to play. It was the perfect opportunity to play with the library cards I created a few weeks ago.

The stamps are SU! It's Academic. I colored the bus with Copic Markers.

The digital download for this file (includes cards and directions for making the pockets) is just $2.50 in my Etsy shop!
Thanks so much for stamping by today!
Laura~

So many challenges..so little time:(

Hi! I can't believe I haven't posted since Sunday, arrrggghhh. Rest assured dear blog readers that I have been VERY busy. Since last Thursday I have taught 3 classes and cut countless amounts of paper and have been busy checking in brand new product at Paper Addiction. It has been fun, fun, fun, but I miss blogging and making new stuff.

I combined the color and sketch challenge from SCS this week for this adorable card. The image is from Pink Cat Studio and my fabulous blogging friend and Little Stamp Shack owner, Carrie, has this adorable stamp and everything else in her store on sale right now for 25-35% off. This stamp is currently out of stock, but she has a waiting list:)

I stamped the image on PTI white CS with Memento Rich Cocoa ink and colored her with my Copic markers. To mimic the dots from the decorative paper I used the Copics to make little circles and then traced around them with the fine tip of the brown SU! marker. I added Fruit Punch Stickles to her collar and Liquid Pearls to her hat. What do you think?

As I mentioned, there is lots of new inventory at Paper Addicition, whoohoo. The DP is from the Garland line from Scenic Route, go check it out!

Thanks so much for stamping by!
Laura

Fall

Hi! As most of you know I live in Las Vegas, and I know I shouldn't be complaining, but it is really unseasonably warm here. My car said 95 degrees today, arrrggghhh. The trees have not started to turn. What's going to happen is this, suddenly one day it's going to be 50 degrees or lower. We won't get to enjoy a mild fall. So instead of watching actual leaves turn I am forced to make cards that have fall leaves. That is my rant for today, thanks for letting me vent.


This card is for today SCS Color Challenge. I used a new stamp and paper we just got in for PaperAddiction. It's from October Afternoon, the line is called Weathervane. We are offering the stamp set and 2 each of 4 papers in a bundle for the discounted price of $17.15 (MSRP $21.40) As you can imagine they are going fast at that fabulous price, I have just two left (I am hardly able to get the samples done:) You guys rock!

I stamped the image with Memento ink and the leaves with SU! Pumpkin Pie and Old Olive ink. The charm is one I've had in my stash for a LONG time. This is such a fun, easy card to put together.

Thanks for stamping by!
Laura~

I am a Design Monkey!!!

Hi! As you might remember from this post, I am fan of the Little Monkeys stamp storage system. I am excited to announce that I am now on the brand new Little Monkeys Design Team, whoohoo! Starting today and going through the whole month of October they are celebrating Little Monkeys turning one year old. There will be giveaways and contests all month long, so head on over to check out all the fun things going on over there!

This is a sneak peek at one of the new stamps being released Wednesday by My Favorite Things. Annie LaPoint is the artist for this wonderful image which is the 5th stamp in the series of herb pots. I stamped the image on Sage Shadow and colored it with Copic Markers (I totally stole this technique from Michelle Giraud, FlaxyChick). Copic markers are fabulous for this because the colors stay pretty true even on the colored cardstock base. I inked up the Cuttlebug folder on the side that has writing on it and ran it through the machine with a piece of Really Rust cs. The embellishments are little studs from a package called Bangle Bling I found at Michaels in a clearance basket for $1. I just attached them with a little liquid glue.

My Favorite Things (www.mftstamps.com) is having a New Release Cocktail Party on Wednesday, October 1 from 9-11 p.m. Eastern time. This month there are SIX new sets being released, plus a new storage system for your MFT stamps that you are gonna love!Head over to the MFT forum on www.splitcoaststampers.com to find out all the details and to find out how YOU can be the next MFT Guest Designer. We hope to see you there on Wednesday night.

Thanks for stamping by!
Laura~

Always on my mind....

Hello! I needed to make a Mother's Day card...I have had 3 commissioned and I also need some for imakeartcards.com. I have so much more fun designing them when it is for a challenge and since I haven't got to play since Monday, you know I HAD to combine them. One of the reasons, in case you are wondering is that I got a new printer yesterday and between buying it and setting it up I didn't get any stamping time in. I got an HP 3 in 1 and am looking forward to better printing! I got an order for about 300 cards for the elementary school my daughter goes to. The Principal wants personalized cards to send out, but when I told him how much stamped cards would be, we settled on a regular print job. I used the school logo and added his name for a personal touch. I used my PrintShop program. If you want to see them, I will make a separate post. I am just happy my new printer will be mostly paid for, kwim?

Oh yes, the card. I combined the color, sketch and the way to use it, to use scissors in a fun way. That is sort of a stretch for what I did here, because it really isn't special, I just cut the heart out 2 times, but I did use my them so I am going to post it in that gallery, let those gallery police come get me:) I colored the heart image with my SU! markers and cut out along the main heart. I then used a chocolate chip ink pad to ink the entire image and then cut that out. The first heart was then layered on top of that. I stamped 2 of the other images from Always on the background panel and then added dots with the tip of the chocolate chip SU! marker to mimic the dots around the heart. I did a little sewing on the celery panel and added a ribbon and a flower and there you go, all done!

Thanks so much for stamping by!

Laura~

p.s. I haven't forgotten about the watercoloring tutorial, give me a few more days...mmm weeks, I will show you I promise:)

Let's Dish the Dirt...

Hello! This is for the color challenge at SCS; Creamy Caramel, Mellow Moss, Cameo Coral, Apricot Appeal. You know I usually don't like the color challenges, but I like how this came out using one of the new sets that will be released tomorrow night at My Favorite Things. I used all scraps to make this card, even the card base was left over from another project. I used brown StazOn to stamp the images and SU! markers to color them. I stamped the hat 2 times and cut one out. I used liquid applique for the flowers on the hat to give a little dimension. I ran the moss layer through my CB with one of the new folders (I am still trying to track down the dots and the paisleys....why, why, why do I WANT more stuff). I did a little doodling around the images and some faux stitching with a Sakura white gel pen on the coral panels. I think that about does it. Have a beautiful day (the girl at Starbucks tells me that and it makes me happy!).

Thanks for stamping by!

Laura~

Bloomin' Wonderful!

Well, thank ya'll so much for your comments on the Howdy card. How fun!!! Well here's a little peek at another new set from MFT called Punch a Bunch, designed to be used with your scalloped punches or Nestabilities. This is for the today's color challenge...wild wasabi, purely pomegranate and so saffron. I am still not feeling 100%, but I will survive:) After last week's color challenge nearly did me in, I was almost afraid to try this week's in my weakened state. It still took me a looooonnnnnggg time, but I am happy with the end result. This is going to a little girl who had some major surgery recently. I am sending it through Kelly (emmiestamps) who requested the RAK. For this card I stamped the flowers with classic ink and colored them with my SU! markers and then added some Crystal Effects for a little pop! The flowers were stamped on a separate sheet of cardstock and then trimmed as a bunch. I used my Crop a Dile for the embossed circles and my Nestabilities for the ovals. The faux stitching is done with a white gel pen.

Thanks so much for stamping by and for all your well wishes, you guys make me happy!

Laura!

Find Joy

I knew about 1/2 hour into this project that it was just not coming together the way I wanted. I really loved how the cards looked in the gallery yesterday for the color challenge and I wanted to play along with the sketch challenge today. 2 hours later, yes that's right 2 hours later I have a card that is soooo not my favorite. Well, this is why I haven't been doing color challenges unless I LOVE the colors. I think it's so hard to work with colors that you are not completely inspired by. The flower is from My Favorite Things Boho Blossoms. The background swirl is from Doodle This and the sentiment is from Polka Dots & Paisley SU! The black panel is embossed with the swirl Cuttlebug folder. Tell me what you think, honestly, please! I think I will go for a little walk and hope that my mojo is not gone:)

Thanks for stamping by!

Laura~

JammieBella

Hi there! This is for the color challenge at SCS... pumpkin pie, certainly celery, orchid opulance. It took me awhile to find my orchid paper. I don't ever use it. That is why we have color challenges. I got this Bella as a RAK from Sara (Deipara). Thanks, Sara!!! She actually sent me about 40 images and this was the first that I used. I am now hoarding Bella images, please help, lol! Do you notice anything else? I got my first set of Nestabilities, wooohooo!!!! I love them already. They don't take up any room at all and are easy to use (I have a Cuttlebug) I am still trying to work out the whole embossing thing, cause I didn't buy the special mat. But I am not complaining because I have them in my hot little hands. I bought the entire set of ovals just in case you are wondering. If you go to cutathome.com and sign up on their e-mailing list, after a day or two, you will get a coupon for 40% off a single item. Enter the code at checkout and you get a whole shape set for just over $50. That works out to about $2.50 per die-cut. You just can't beat that!

Oh yes, the card. I colored the image with a blender pen and ink pads and added a little shading with a grey watercolor pencil. I just bought a grey Copic marker today (at an art supply store) for shading, I am curious to see how that works out. I used my CB for the flower background.

Thanks for stamping by!

Laura~

Bright Friends

This is a combined challenge card, sketch and color. I wasn't going to do the color challenge this week but I found this Daisy D decorative paper in my stash and thought I could work with it for the color challenge. I know I have said this before but I have such a hard time with the color challenges. I mostly like this one, but really only because I distressed it. I keep thinking I need to quit distressing stuff, but I really like it!

Thanks for stamping by!

Laura~

Loads of love

Hi there, this is for this weeks color and sketch challenge. I just borrowed this stamp set from my mom who stamps too. I am going to send this to our family friend who just found out he has cancer...he is seeking treatment options, but the cancer has spread. He is just 30 years old and has a 3 year old daughter and a baby due in the summer. He needs all the encouragement he can get....I am making it my mission to send a card every week or so.

To color the truck, I used my blender pen and ink pads. Thanks for stopping by!

Laura~

1st Birthday

This is for the color challenge at SCS (rose red, sage shadow, apricot appeal) As it so happens I needed a birthday card for my niece and I just got the new paper from DCWV called Nana's Nursery. The stamp is from Close to My Heart. My mom sells their stamps so I have few of them and I just love this giraffe! The sentiment is from Studio G (the $1 stamps at Micheals)

Thanks for stopping by!

Laura~